Acts of kindness during storm

Wednesday

Feb 13, 2013 at 11:20 AM

By GEORGE AUSTIN

By GEORGE AUSTIN

Editor

SOMERSET — David Berube had a plow that he used to use to clear snow from the Teamworks building that he owns. He does not have to plow that parking lot anymore, but it came in handy over the weekend and made a lot of people happy after the Blizzard of 2013. After plowing out a couple of his family members early Saturday morning, Mr. Berube decided he was going to spend the rest of the day going around Somerset, plowing random people's driveways for free.

"We were planning on doing this," said Mr. Berube, who got up at 5 a.m. on Saturday to start plowing. "We were planning on going around to help people out."

Mr. Berube did not know a lot of the people whose driveways he was plowing. When he saw people shoveling, he would drive up and ask them if they wanted the snow plowed, saving them hours of work. In particular, Mr. Berube said he was looking for elderly people who needed their driveways cleared. He and his fiance, Kim Bernier, drove around Somerset, with their bichon frise dog named Pique who sat on the center console of his truck as he was doing the work. In the Americana Terrace section of town, he plowed the driveway of an elderly widow. He started out the day plowing driveways in his Perkins Street neighborhood and then started going to other areas of town. Mr. Berube plowed part of the Somerset Historical Society parking lot as people were trying to get their cars out of that location. He plowed the driveway of resident Nancy Gendreau without her knowing he did the work for her.

On Main Street, Mr. Berube found Peggy Martin and her twin sister, Mary Lou Burton, 62, shoveling snow in front of a car. Ms. Martin said her sister had to get to work at Walmart and so they needed to get her car out. She said they were hoping some youths might come by who were looking to make some extra money by shoveling snow. Mr. Berube cleared out the snow in front of the car for them and Ms. Bernier helped to push the car out into the road. Ms. Martin said Mr. Berube helped her and her sister out a lot by plowing the snow for them.

"You don't find too many people like that," Ms. Martin said.

Ms. Martin asked Mr. Berube if she could give him some money.

"I have enough money," Mr. Berube said to her as he drove away. "I don't need any money."

Mr. Berube said the plowing put some wear and tear on his truck, but it was worth it to help out some of his fellow Somerset residents.

Mr. Berube called Somerset Emergency Management Agency Director Stephen Rivard to offer his assistance if anyone needed driveways plowed or rides anywhere. Mr. Rivard said Mr. Berube is one of the first people in town to call him to offer his assistance every time the town has an emergency situation, like the blizzard over the weekend.

"It's what's so good about Somerset, the people who live here," Mr. Rivard said.

Mr. Berube ended up plowing about 15 driveways before it got dark.

"Our driveway is not even plowed yet," Mr. Berube said at about 4 p.m. on Saturday. "We're saving ours for last."